This invention relates to a fork lift truck, and more particularly to a differential mounting and wheel drive arrangement which permits mounting the differential at various locations relative to the axis of the wheel.
The design of a particular fork lift truck is usually a compromise of many factors which affect the stability handling and maneuverability of the truck. For example, some lift trucks have a short wheel base for maximum maneuverability within a confined base, while other lift trucks have a longer wheel base for greater stability. Another factor is the location of the drive train, i.e., engine, transmission and differential, since these components contribute greatly to the mass which counterbalances the load lifted by the lift trucks. For short wheel base trucks, the center of gravity of the drive train is closer to the centerline of the front wheels than that of a longer wheel base truck. The vertical position of the drive line center of gravity also affects the stability and is normally a compromise between stability and ground clearance and may be dictated by the type of tires, i.e., cushion or pneumatic, used on the lift truck. Thus, several similarly sized lift trucks may have the same power requirements and a basic drive train may be employed or such similar machines. However, each particular lift truck design requires its own drive train mounting and one of the problems in the manufacturing of the lift trucks is that of providing maximum use of common basic components for similar vehicles to reduce the manufacturing costs and inventory of an assortment of configurations.